


In This Life and the Next... Forever Yours

by Silverdrift



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, First Meetings, M/M, Reincarnation, Soulmates, finding your soulmate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:21:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27667396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverdrift/pseuds/Silverdrift
Summary: Hanzo has always struggled with this curse of remembering every single one of the past lives he has lived. The pain and guilt of ever thing he has ever done hanging over his head, the shame having a constant grip on him... but one thing he is thankful for is he has never forgotten his soulmate. The one person who has been with him though it all.
Relationships: Jesse McCree/Hanzo Shimada
Comments: 10
Kudos: 84





	In This Life and the Next... Forever Yours

**Author's Note:**

> Hi yes I got slapped with overwatch feels randomly while i was taking a shower so have some McHanzo!

"You are getting slow in your old age, Hanzo. We are going to be late!" Genji called playfully from the front door, waiting on his brother to join him so they could head to work. "Do not make me leave without you!"

Hanzo sighed softly, casting a scowl in the general direction of the voice, but saying nothing. He couldn't really be mad… In fact, every day he got to experience his brother's relentless teasing and carefree attitude, he was happy. Each day he kept him close was another day he gave thanks. Because there were times, in lives before, where that was not the case. 

Hanzo was… well. Some called it gifted, special, remarkable… Others called it crazy, unbelievable, cursed… Hanzo himself held no pleasant opinions of it. This… ability to remember all of his past lives and things that happened... it was exhausting, mentally taxing, painful in some cases… especially in cases like Genji, where he can very vividly remember attacking his own brother in a life not too long ago. The feelings of guilt and shame still hung over him even now, despite the fact that he and his brother, who was alive and well, completely unmarred by the vicious cruelty of another timeline, were inseparable, living and working together in a small cafe just down the road. 

And those weren't the only feelings that continued to haunt him either…

Hanzo finished getting ready quickly, headed out to the door with his hands shoved in his coat pockets and a stoic look on his face, hair tied up in a bun as it often was on his way to work. "Let us go."

"You were thinking about them again… weren't you?"

Immediately, Hanzo's feature's morphed into a scowl. Of course, Genji would know, even without it being mentioned. "Yes. Now can we go?"

"You know, I'm still pretty sure I could-"

"We will be late. You said so yourself. Go." Hanzo ordered sternly. 

"It is still fresh then. Fine, but you cannot just keep it bottled up forever, Aniki… and you know I will listen."

"I know…" Hanzo said with a sigh, glancing away momentarily. "But not now." Thankfully, Genji just gave him a nod and went out the door with Hanzo close behind him.

The person in question, the one that often consumed his thoughts, was the person with whom he had found himself with in every single life he ever lived for as far back as he could remember. A person with whom he was so closely tied by that fabled red string of fate that he had almost begun to believe in soulmates. How else do you explain ending up with the same soul in different forms? Humans, genders ever changing, just trying to make their way through life… Beasts of many kinds... wolves, horses, dragons, fighting to survive against all odds… No matter how different they looked, they always found their way together. And Hanzo always knew when they came back to him. But so far, in this life… Hanzo had yet to find them. The sense of loneliness and fear he felt, nearing forty and his fated love still having not crossed his path… Would they come at all? Had something happened to them before they could be at his side? What if--

“Hanzo?”

Hanzo looked up quickly, pulled from his thoughts by the concern in Genji’s tone. “Yes?”

“I have called you three times… Are you sure you do not wish-”   
  
“I am fine.” He answered too quickly, looking away again with a sigh. “Apologies. I did not mean to interrupt. I just… wish to busy myself so my mind will quiet. Nothing more.”

“If I let it go and allow you to do so, would you try to talk to me once we get home?”

Hanzo eyed his brother. He knew this was not a question. This was either agree or have Genji breathing down his neck the entire time… That made the answer obvious. With a soft, mildly frustrated sigh, he moved past Genji to the door of the cafe to unlock it. “Yes.”

“Then I will not say another word about it until then.” Genji chimed with a bright smile.

Hanzo gave a small smile of his own and then immediately went to work, preparing things for opening, making sure every little thing had a place and every little thing was  _ in _ that place. Neat. Organized. Just as he liked it. It was something he took great pride in and by the time opening rolled around, the cafe looked immaculate as always. The only task left now was…

“Genji,” Hanzo started, adjusting a few last minute things behind the counter as he spoke, “It is time.”

“Hai.” 

As Genji turned the sign to open and the first customers started to file in, regulars and new faces alike, a sense of peace washed over Hanzo. The joy of making others happy simply with the teas and foods he had learned over so many lifetimes or watching his extremely charismatic brother making the people laugh and smile simply by being himself… Yes. This is exactly what he needed. His mind was clear, quiet, and finally he felt himself starting to relax.

_ Ding! _

Hanzo looked up to greet whoever walked in the door… but all that came out was a soft noise of surprise. Before him stood a man that looked like the word country personified. Brown leather boots, worn and weathered from work... Dark colored blue jeans that seemed to be practical but hugged in just the right places and were accented with a large ridiculous belt buckle that made Hanzo roll his eyes internally… A red shirt with snaps, not buttons, that was nice, but clearly meant for working with its myriad of snags and rough patches… and the cowboy hat, tan, well kept but well loved. 

_ It's him… _

His eyes followed this cowboy’s every move as he walked to the counter. He hated how creepy it felt to do so, trying everything he could to look at literally anything else… but he simply could not look away. It wasn’t until the man actually got to the counter that Hanzo managed to get a hold on himself, taking a breath before answering. “Good morning.”   
  
“Mornin. I need the largest black coffee you got, if it aint too much trouble.” The man said cheerfully, feeling around his pockets for his wallet. “Been one hell of a drive to get here. Ain’t slept much and still got-” He pulled his wallet out and looked up, laying eyes on Hanzo for the first time since walking in. The words seemed to catch in his throat as he studied the man behind the counter, mouth slightly ajar, a glint of recognition in those brown eyes. “I-I’m sorry. Have… Have we met?”   
  
“I…” Hanzo trailed off, glancing down for a moment..  _ Not in this life. _ He shook his head, knowing he couldn’t say such a thing, looking back over with his normal, neutral expression. “No. I don’t believe we have…”

“Huh… I coulda swore…” The man trailed off with a hum then shook his head as well. “Ah well. Sorry. Large black coffee, please.”

Hanzo gave a nod and reached for their largest cups. “Name?”   
  
“Jesse.” 

Once again, Hanzo simply nodded, writing it out on the cup in the most gorgeous script and moved away from the counter. The whole time he was preparing the order, he could feel eyes on him. Normally, this would not phase him too much, customers watched him all the time… but this was different. It took every ounce of self control he possessed to not keep looking back at him, the images of hundreds of lifetimes with this soul flashing through his mind in the span of only a few moments. It left him almost breathless, overwhelmed, with this feeling like his heart was going to beat it’s way out of his chest… Yet it was nothing compared to the feeling that arose when he brought the coffee back, sitting it on the counter for the man, who reached for it rather distractedly… 

And their hands touched. 

They froze, looking up at each other with surprise, a light dusting of pink adoring both of their cheeks… but neither of them moved away, staying silently just like that for a good few moments.   
  
“I, er…” Jesse started, glancing down at their hands, “Sorry bout that, I. Um.” He swallowed thickly and finally pulled his hand away to get his card from his wallet, more than a little flustered. “H-How much I owe ya?”

“You don’t.” Hanzo started as he returned his hand to his side, his gaze not quite meeting Jesse’s now.

“Wh.. no, no, no. I hadn’t paid yet, I gotta owe you somethin’...”

“Your travels have been long. You are weary. It is the least I can do…”

After a moment of hesitation, Jesse tucked his wallet back in his pocket. “If you insist… Thank ya most kindly, sir.”   
  
“Hanzo.”

Jesse blinked… Then a soft smile lit up his face. “Well, thank ya, Hanzo… This will hopefully get me through movin’ into the new place down here, but if it don’t… you gonna mind too terribly if I come back?”

“No… Come back whenever you please. I will be here.” Hanzo replied with a small smile of his own

“Good! Then I might just make an excuse to stop back in regardless.” Jesse chuckled, grabbing his coffee from the counter and taking a few steps back toward the door. “Be seein you around, Hanzo!”

Hanzo watched him go, feeling the crushing weight of his earlier fears being lifted from his chest. Yes… he was nearing forty and only just now had his soulmate finally returned to his side… but he was  _ here _ . He was  _ alive _ … 

Late…

But a long way from never.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm.... Soft.
> 
> Come hand out with me on twitter @Silverdriftxiii


End file.
